Beneath The Stars
by karmascreams
Summary: At a young age Harry finds himself waking up in the middle of a magical world he had no idea exsisted. He is then raised and brought up knowing his story, and when the time comes, Hogwarts won't know what to think.
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Harry Potter, any of the characters from Harry Potter, or the world in which this takes place. This will be the only disclaimer posted.

**A/N: **If anyone would like to beta for me, I would be most happy to have your help. Private messages for anyone who is interested.

* * *

It wasn't often that Harry had the chance to ride in the car with his relatives. In fact, Harry could remember every time he had ever been in the vehicle, a total of six times, including this trip. The first time he was so excited, until he realized just how bad it was sitting next to his cousin Dudley. Dudley was no small boy, compared to Harry, he would be considered incredibly overweight. That assumption would be correct too, as he never went hungry, unlike Harry, who had been trying to forget his hunger for the better part of the day. Dudley made every car ride unbearable. He would take up most of the small backseat, pushing Harry against the door. At least, if Harry were to look on the bright side, he could watch the passing scenery.

On this car ride, Harry was even more uncomfortable than usual. You see, the only reason Harry had been allowed to go on this trip, was that his usual babysitter had taken ill. The entire family had decided to make a day of London, and Harry had enjoyed that, but before they had left he had filled himself up on water from the tap in the bathroom. Now, he was regretting that, as he was certain his bladder would burst.

"Uncle Vernon," Harry said quietly, not wanting to anger the man. "I need to go the bathroom."

"What was that boy?" Uncle Vernon retorted, looking back at the small boy through the rearview mirror.

"I really need to pee," Harry stated.

"Well you can just hold it until we get home," Vernon said.

Harry sighed and didn't say anymore. He learned long ago that it wasn't wise to speak against anything his uncle said.

Half an hour later though he was starting to struggle even more. Dudley had been making a game of pushing him against the door, and his bladder wasn't getting any relief.

"Uncle Vernon, please can we pull over, I've got to go," Harry whined, feeling his eyes well up with tears.

"Now listen here boy, just because you decided not to use the bathroom before we left doesn't mean you're going to get a special treatment now. You'll hold it until we get home," his uncle replied.

Harry wasn't sure what to say, but he knew his uncle wouldn't stop. He also knew that he wasn't going to be able to hold it in any longer, and he started to cry.

"What's wrong now boy?" Uncle Vernon snapped, looking back at him again with a steely gaze.

"I can't hold it," Harry whispered, before he burst into an all out sob.

"Ewww," Dudley commented from his side of the seat. "Harry peed the seat!"

"He what?!" Uncle Vernon shouted, and he immediately pulled over to the side of the road. "Did you pee yourself boy? Did you?"

Harry cried and slowly nodded his head. "I couldn't hold it," he sobbed, trying to defend himself.

"That's it," Vernon said turning around to face his nephew. "Get out. You can walk the rest of the way."

"Vernon," Petunia said, an uncomfortable feeling weighing on her shoulders. "He can't just walk home, he's only four years old! He'll get lost! Or kidnapped."

"He'll be fine. You just follow the road, and tomorrow you'll be cleaning this car top to bottom, you hear me?"

"I'm sorry," Harry cried. "Please don't make me walk home!"

"You should have thought of that before you peed in my car! Now get out and start walking!"

Harry had barely gotten out of the car before Dudley had slammed the door back shut. He knew he should have held on harder, but he just couldn't. He stood there for a moment, watching the car get smaller and smaller, when he realized that it was soon going to get dark, and he wasn't entirely sure how to get home from where ever he was. It didn't take him long to start walking, but with his little legs he was positive that when he finally got home, it would be the next day and he would be expected to start cleaning the car.

His tears hadn't subsided either, they kept running down his small face every time he thought of what happened. Why did his uncle have to be so mean to him? Why did his aunt never do more to defend him? It was like they didn't love him, Harry thought. Then he realized that's because they didn't love him. He wasn't their Duddykins. He was Boy, and Freak. Or rather, his name was Harry, but they never referred to him as such. He had only learned of his name because he had to be registered for school, and his aunt had sat him down and told him.

Looking up Harry was sad to see that there still wasn't really any traffic, no one was going to save him. Then he saw the forest, and he realized that maybe he could just go in there. There would be cover, and probably some scary animals, but maybe he could find a cave, or a house, or something. Deciding he didn't want to walk next the road anymore, that there could be someplace to hide, Harry quickly made his way to the edge of the forest. And with little to no thought, he entered the woods.

* * *

The night sky had fallen quite a while ago, and Harry was starting to really feel the chill in the air. It finally succumbed to him that he was never going to find a cave, or a house, or any place to stay. He would be forced to sleep next to a tree, not that that was the least of his worries. He just hoped that no animal would come near him during the night. Finally he stopped, and he looked up at the few stars he could see pass the tree tops. He really liked the stars. On some of the few nights he had been trapped outside he would often make wishes upon them.

Harry let a small, sad, smile fall on his face, as he made his hundredth wish to the stars. "I wish that when I get back, they'll finally love me like they're suppose to." It was with those words that he fell asleep against the thick trunk of the large tree he had propped himself up against.

He woke up to a deep and rough voice, before he realized that someone was carrying him somewhere. When he started fighting against it, the voice realized he was awake, and hurried to calm the small boy.

"You are alright young one, you will be safe and warm."

Harry's face was pressed tightly to the persons chest, but he could make out that it was definitely a man carrying him. There was also something in the mans voice that made Harry trust him, a certain quality that he had only heard before when his aunt or uncle were speaking to his cousin.

"What is your name young one?" the man's voice asked, pulling Harry from his thoughts.

"Fre-, I mean Harry, Harry Potter," he replied, hoping that this stranger wouldn't ask any questions about his almost slip. He thanked the stars when the man let it slide. "Who are you?"

"My name is Uriah. Can you tell me, Harry Potter, what you are doing in the forest so late at night? And all alone?" Uriah asked.

Harry bit his lip, but nodded against the man's chest. "I was a bad boy, so Uncle Vernon told me to walk home, and I thought that this forest would be a short cut, but then it got dark and I got tired, so I had to take a rest, and I fell asleep."

"A forest is no place for a young boy to be all alone," Uriah commented.

Harry merely shrugged. "I can walk, you don't need to carry me, I'm not a baby."

Uriah chuckled, but set him down all the same. It was then Harry realized that he must be dreaming, for this wasn't a man, it was a half man half horse! He just dreamed that this... man was being so nice to him. No one was ever nice to him. Tears quickly sprang back to his eyes and slid down his cheeks faster than before. It soon turned to all out sobs as Uriah had kneeled down on his front legs, a concerned look touching every feature of his face.

"What has upset you Harry Potter? Do you wish for me to carry you some more?"

"I don't want to wake up!" Harry cried, and he looked into Uriah's eyes so deeply that Uriah could see the past suffering the young child had endured.

"What makes you think you're dreaming?"

"You aren't real! I should have known 'cause no one would be nice to a freak like me! Now I'm going to wake up and I'll have to find my way back home still, and Uncle Vernon will be angry because I didn't get home last night, and he'll just put me in my cupboard for a week!" Harry wailed, and Uriah could only just make out what he was saying.

Uriah of course knew exactly who the boy was, as the stars had foretold these certain events happening, he just would have never guessed that Harry would be finding his herd. "Harry Potter, young one, you are not dreaming, I assure you," Uriah spoke calmly, picking the boy back up, and comforting him. "You won't have to go back to those people or that place, I promise."

"No, I'm dreaming, and I'm going to wake up! Why don't you get it?" Harry had to stop speaking for every word had turned to a spluttered mess.

Uriah sighed, and looked to the stars above them, and started humming a calming melody. It didn't take Harry too much longer to fall back to sleep, and once he had, Uriah made his way as quick as he could back to the compound. He gently set the sleeping boy in his own bed, a large pile of hay, and quietly made his way out of the small enclosure.

"Jevin," Uriah stated, finally spotting his leader. "What the stars spoke of has happened, Harry Potter has found us."

Another centaur, Alfrik, was standing next to the leader, and he scoffed. "He does not belong here."

"Yet he is, as the stars foretold," Jevin stated, turning to speak more with Uriah.

"He should be with his own people," Alfrik said, gaining the herd leaders attention once more.

Jevin fixed his gaze on the younger centaur, and took a moment to study the man. Alfrik had always been outspoken about other cultures, happy that they were separated from what he thought of as lesser beings. But Jevin never bought in to that, and rightly claimed his title of leader when the time had come, something Alfrik hadn't been too happy about, but that's the way it had fallen, and the way it would be.

"He stays with us," he finally spoke. "Do you wish to keep talking?" The hint of a threat laced in those words was enough to send Alfrik away, but not without glaring at Uriah, who had brought the boy to the camp.

"He won't change his mind," Uriah stated, watching as the centaur entered his own small enclosure.

"He does not need to, he just needs to remember who the leader is," Jevin replied, turning his full attention to the smaller centaur.

"And will that be enough?" Uriah asked, his mind momentarily slipping away on the reason that brought him before his leader, and on to the politics involved in the camp.

"With the moon at my call, it should be," Jevin answered. "Now tell me about finding the boy."

"He was convinced that he was dreaming. When I found him he was asleep against a tree. The people that he was with told him to walk home after he was a bad boy, I didn't ask what he meant. He thinks himself a freak, and he claimed that his uncle would be putting him in his cupboard for a week for not getting home. I finally calmed him down enough for him to fall back asleep, but he will definitely need a caring hand at his side," Uriah explained.

"What of the wizards?" Jevin questioned, "Does he know of that world?"

"I don't think so, but they'll come for him," Uriah said, turning his gaze towards his enclosure.

"Indeed," Jevin replied. "Let us put up a ward, when the time comes for him to go to Hogwarts, we will take it down. Until then, you will take him into your arms. Give him his missing history, teach him the basics, what he needs to know. When he's ready, he will take classes like the rest of the young ones. Now, let us gather those we need, the ward will need our power."

Uriah nodded and followed his leader about the camp, waking a few of the elders from their sleep. When they had finally had the ward up, and he was finally in his enclosure, Harry was waking up again. He watched the young boy for a moment, as reality dawned on him, and his own sad smile appeared on his face at the tears the refilled the young boys eyes. "I promised you weren't dreaming young one." Harry immediately looked up at the centaur, but he could not find the words to speak.

Uriah used his silence to get himself situated for the night, before he started to speak again. "It's still not time to be awake, do you wish to hear a bedtime story?"

"A bedtime story? Like what Aunt Petunia does for Dudley?" Harry questioned. He had not moved from his spot, that he realized was a mound of hay, and before Uriah could say anything, Harry asked another question. "What are you?"

Uriah smiled down at the boy, before answer him. "I am a centaur, a being that is not uncommon in the magical world."

"Magical world? And I'm not dreaming, right?"

"No, young one, you are not," Uriah answered. "Now settle down. This is a story you want to hear." And with that, he told Harry the story of the Boy-Who-Lived, ending it by mentioning that the boy had a trademark scar, a lightning bolt on his forehead. When Harry reached up to his forehead, brushing against the never-fading scar, Uriah nodded. "Yes, you are the Boy-Who-Lived, but we can talk more about it tomorrow, for now, get some more sleep. It will be morning soon, and you have much to learn."

* * *

The next day Harry woke to the smell of a freshly cooked breakfast. It took a few more minutes before the events came back to him and he realized where he was. His eyes immediately snapped open and he looked around until he found Uriah, sitting peacefully on a different mound of hay, watching him.

"Good morning to you, Harry Potter," Uriah said, taking the plate of food from the small table between them and handing it to the boy. "Did you sleep well?"

Harry slowly took the offered food, before he answered. "Yes sir. Are you finished?"

"Finished with what?" Uriah asked, confusion clear for Harry to hear.

"With your breakfast? I'm sorry I didn't wake up in time to make it, I guess I was more tired than I thought," Harry answered, bowing his head.

"Young one, why would you make me breakfast? You are a guest here, a honored guest at that. That food is yours," Uriah explained, his dark eyebrows still furrowed.

"I always make breakfast, and dinner sometimes, Aunt Petunia makes lunch because I'm always too busy with my other chores to go in and do that," Harry told him. "Are you sure I can eat this? Everyone else has had their share?"

"Eat young one, have no worry about anyone else," Uriah said, before he slowly got up and went to the entrance. "I will be back shortly, I have to speak with the herd leader."

Harry merely nodded before he started bringing the food to his mouth with gusto. Uriah couldn't help but think that it was as if Harry had never had so much on his plate before, and he thought it might disappear. He didn't realize how spot on the truth he was.

When Harry had finished he quietly exited the enclosure with his plate, unsure of where he could go to clean it. As he looked around, he realized that there were more people...centaurs, than he could have imagined. Before he thought there might be a few, but there were so many it was like a small village.

He didn't make it far before he was spotted, and the centaur that came up to him was so nice that she had him blushing. "Where are you going young one?" she asked him. "Let me take that dish away from you, Uriah is just over there," she said, pointing towards the centaur that had found him and given him a place to stay. When Harry didn't move she rose one of her pale eyebrows at him. "Go on, he will wonder where you are."

Harry gave her a small nod and a whispered thanks before he ran off towards Uriah, he just hoped that he wouldn't get in trouble for being seen.

"Ah, young one, I see you've finished your meal," Uriah said once Harry had stopped in front of him. "This is Jevin," Uriah said with a small nod, "he is our leader."

"Oh, hello sir," Harry said bowing his own head. "Thank you for feeding me, and letting me stay here. I can work if you need me to, I'm okay at cooking, and I really like gardens," Harry rambled, another blush rising to his cheeks.

Jevin stepped back a pace, but he didn't say anything to the young one, only turned with an upraised eyebrow to Uriah. Turning back to Harry, Jevin kneeled down to level with him, or as level as he could be, and spoke, "Harry Potter, while you are here, you will not be expected to work. While you are here, you are to learn, and have fun. Uriah will teach you our ways, and other things that will be useful. When you are ready, you will start having classes. Do you understand?"

Harry stared at the centaur for a while, trying to process the words, before he shrugged. "I think so," he finally said. "This means I don't have to go back right? You won't make me leave?"

"Correct, young one, now why don't you and Uriah go someplace quiet," Jevin said, getting back up from the ground to his full height. "Uriah, don't forget what I said today."

Uriah gave a brief nod, before guiding Harry away. When they finally stopped walking they were next to a small watering hole. "Why don't you bathe yourself while we begin our lessons?"

Harry nodded and started taking off his clothes and when he was finally naked, he looked up at Uriah and frowned.

"What is it young one?"

"I... I don't have any soap."

Uriah furrowed his eyebrows again, "What is soap?"

"You know, soap, to clean myself with," Harry said, tears coming to his eyes. How was he suppose to clean himself without soap?

"Just get in and the water will do the rest," Uriah stated, still confused.

Harry gave a small nod and tentatively walked to the edge of the water. It didn't look too deep, but he would stay at the side just in case.

While Harry was relaxing into the water, Uriah started his lesson. "Now, as you can see, centaurs are not like man. Some centaurs see us as a supreme race, while others think of us as equal to the regular man.

Regular men seem to think themselves the supreme race, but in all honesty, it is all just a matter of opinion. Do you understand?"

Harry stopped kicking around in the water, and looked up at Uriah. "Everyone is equal, but some people don't think so?" Harry asked, crossing his fingers under the water, hoping he was correct.

"Yes," Uriah said, smiling. "The reason centaurs think themselves supreme has to do with a few things we can do, that supersede what man can, understand?" Harry tilted his head to the side, and stared at him for a minute before asking what supersede meant. "It means to go further than, as in, if we were in a race, and you ran ahead of me, you would have superseded me."

"So centaurs are faster?"

"Yes, in a race, a centaur would win," Uriah said, smiling. "Centaurs, other than the why our bodies are built, can see what may or may not happen in the future, divination, if you will. We are also very good at judging a persons character, as well as using a bow. Understand?"

Harry took the few minutes he had once he got out of the water, to think over what Uriah told him. He may be just about five, and he definitely was smart, but Uriah knew a lot of what he was saying could be above his head. "I think I get it," Harry finally said. He stood there for another minute, naked, and wondered if he would have to put back on his dirty clothes.

Uriah seemed to perceive his delima, as he handed Harry a leathery material, and instructed him to tie it around his waist. "You do not need to wear anything on top of your body. As you are human, we did think you would feel more comfortable with some cloth, hence the loin cloth." Once Harry nodded with understanding, Uriah encouraged him to continue with what he was taught.

"So you can see the future, and what?"

Uriah had to repress his laugh, and he walked Harry back towards the camp. "We can't see the future, but we can see what it might be. The future is not set in stone. But we can also judge a persons character, by that I mean we can tell if they are trustworthy, if they would hurt us, that sort of thing. We also are well versed in using a bow, a weapon we use to hunt with. Does that help?"

"So you can sort of see the future, but it all depends on what?"

Realizing he would probably have to take the lessons step by step, he looked down to the small boy. At least he was understanding everything. "It depends on the events that happen down here. You see, the way we perceive the future, has to do with the stars, and how they are aligned, something that we will teach you once you are older. Do you understand now?"

"So the... stars wouldn't tell you that I was going to throw a rock, but then I could?"

"The stars do not tell us these trivial matters, but you will learn more about these things in your lessons later on. Now, did you understand about judging a persons character?"

"Not really," Harry admitted. "I mean, I get that it's something you can do, but I don't get how."

"That is another thing I will teach you as you get older. And the bow? Do you understand about that?"

"You use it to hunt? Will I get to learn how to do that too?" Harry asked, turning to Uriah.

Uriah smiled and nodded. "When you become nine years of age, I will teach you how to hunt, and once you turn ten, you will receive your own bow, and will be allowed to wear it across your back at all times," Uriah explained, smiling with Harry started jumping up and down. "Now, how about when we get back to the hut I teach you how to read?"

"You mean centaurs read?"

Uriah laughed but nodded all the same. "Centaurs are not that much different than humans, young one."

Harry smiled and nodded. "Can we race to the hut?" he asked, making Uriah laugh again.

"Do you remember how to get there?" When Harry nodded, Uriah smiled and gave the go ahead, letting Harry have a head start. Uriah, of course, would let the boy win, making sure to keep him in sight at all times. He knew that within Harry's time with them, the boy would become something more than a just a human. He would, at the very least, have a centaur way of thinking.

* * *

Over the course of the next few years the centaurs had taught Harry a lot, and fixed a few of his health problems. One being his poor eyesight. Between Uriah, and one of the healers, Idaph, they had made up a potion that formed a type of lens over his iris. It had been uncomfortable for Harry, who had to have the potion set in his eyes three times, but the end result meant he didn't need glasses. The only effect of the potion that no one had foreseen, was a silver circle outlining the green. Idaph was confident that it wasn't harming him, but was there as a side effect of the treatment. They also had tended to the curse scar on his forehead, while they couldn't get it to go away completely, they did manage to make it so it wasn't so prominent.

Idaph also doubled as his potions and basic healing instructor. While potions had become one of his favorite classes, healing hadn't made that much of an impact on him.

His favorite class was, without a doubt, astronomy, as it allowed him to stay up past his bedtime. The centaur that taught that class laughed when he learned the reason it was his favorite class, but Harry was a very good student, and understood the work just fine.

There were, of course, more lessons, including magical creatures, history, hunting with Uriah, and divination. He really enjoyed magical creatures, his favorite being the unicorns, but when it came to divination, he had had a hard time of it after his original instructor passed away.

A few people in the herd blatantly made fun of him for having such a hard time with it, after his new instructor made it known how he did in the subject. He was really upset when Uriah wouldn't let him drop the class, but he held on, spending an hour each night with Uriah, going over what the instructor had tried to teach him.

Uriah himself had been a great support for Harry, stepping up as a surrogate father figure for the young boy. He had taught the boy well during his first year with the herd. He taught Harry all he could about wizard and centaur culture, he even went as far as teaching Harry how to read someone's character, they found that after a few lessons in the subject, Harry had a natural gift in it. He had also taught Harry of what the future could hold for him, including the seat waiting for him at Hogwarts. At first, Harry wondered why he was going to be sent to the school when he had so far been able to learn everything from the herd, but when Uriah reminded him that they couldn't actually teach him magic, he let the subject dropped and continued on with his lessons as usual.

At Hogwarts, there was another issue entirely. The wards in place at Privet Drive had dropped quickly after the wards the centaurs put up set in place. Dumbledore kept as quiet as he could about it, only informing his deputy headmistress, Minerva McGonagall, who had been with him when he left Harry with the Dursley's. She had been so upset with Dumbledore she hadn't talked to him for a week, and when she finally did, she informed him that if they didn't find the boy by the time it he was to become a student, she would be after his job.

Now the time had come. Harry knew it and was anxious. His friends, the two that he had made, tried to keep his mind off it, but when it was time for them to go to their beds, there was nothing anyone could do, not even Uriah, who had gone along to drop the wards.

The next morning, while Harry was in his basic healing lesson with Idaph, two people made their way onto the settlement.

Dumbledore had known immediately when the ward dropped, as the owl he had waiting with the boy's Hogwarts letter was starting towards the window, the letter finally able to be delivered. He had quickly called the owl back to him, removing the letter and calling on the headmistress, and Hagrid. He quickly explained to Minerva the circumstances, and told her to take along the half-giant, incase any trouble were to find them. So as the witch and half-giant came across their first centaur, Hagrid quickly and quietly warns her to be careful.

The first centaur they were to come across wouldn't normally be out and about, but as Jevin had ordered all of them to patrol the grounds, as something like this was sure to happen, he was there. Luckily, it was one of the centaurs that liked young Harry, and quickly made his way towards the incoming visitors.

"You!" Minerva shouts, "Where is he? You must hand him over now."

"Young Harry is safe, please come with me, the herd leader would like to speak with you," he said, gesturing towards a well used path.

Minerva looked over to Hagrid, who could only shrug his shoulders. Centaurs were never this open with him. Deciding to take it for what it was worth, Hagrid took the first step forward to following the strange centaur, leaving Minerva no choice but to follow. When they finally get to the actual camp, Hagrid is the first to speak, "Mars not bright lately?"

The centaur quickly looked at him and narrows his eyes, obviously upset that Hagrid is using such terminology, "Mars is plenty bright, half giant."

"Didn't mean to offend," Hagrid offered, "never been to a centaur camp before."

"Now can we see Harry? We must get him home," Minerva said.

The centaur merely raised his eyebrows towards the woman, before leaving the two of them standing there. They weren't alone for long, as a tall centaur came and appraised them. When he finally spoke, Hagrid realized that they were standing in front of the herd leader, something that also, had never happened to him before. "You must calm down, we shall chat."

"But Harry, we must-"

Jevin interrupted Minerva before she could speak anymore. "Harry is in a lesson right now, and shall finish that before you meet him. Now, here comes Uriah, he has spent the most time with young Harry by far, we will tell you what you want to know."

Minerva stood there, for once in a long time shocked speechless. She hoped that this Uriah would get here quick, and that Harry would be out of whatever lesson he was in even quicker.

No sooner than Minerva finished her thoughts, another centaur appeared, bowing to the centaur already with them before turning to greet them. "We have known this time was coming since we set the wards all those years ago," Uriah said. "Harry knows as well, and as you can guess, is pretty anxious about meeting you."

"But why is he here? He should be with his aunt and uncle!" Minerva all but shouted. She pursed her lips in to a thin line when she received a heavy glare from both centaurs.

"His aunt and uncle were unacceptable. Harry found his way to us, and since then we have raised him, taught him, and given him a childhood well beyond what those muggles could have given him," Uriah stated, a harsh undertone in his voice. "He has been cared for, is there anything else you could have given him that we couldn't?"

"He should have grown up knowing where he was from, not with you who know nothing of it!" Minerva once again shouted.

"Silence," Jevin said, not raising his voice more than what was his normal tone. "You are the ones who know nothing. Young Harry knows exactly where he is from, he knows exactly what he will be going back to, and then some. Now don't you question us about how he has been raised, because when you see him, you can judge yourself, but keep in mind, he'll also be judging you." At the end of his small speech, he gestured his head towards one of the huts that just had a curtain pulled aside.

Before anyone could say anything a young boy rushes out, and he clearly isn't a centaur. They watch in silence as he makes his way towards them, and only when he comes to a complete stop, bowing to the centaurs, do they pick their jaws up from the floor.

"Young Harry, this is Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall, and the keeper of keys, Hagrid, from Hogwarts," Jevin introduces.

Harry immediately turns to the two of them and bows his head, "Ma'am, sir," he says, his voice flat. As they nod back in acknowledgement they watched as his eyes, which sucked the breath from their lungs, calculate them. He seems to notice they realize what they were doing, and quickly averts his gaze to Uriah, "Do I have to leave now?"

Uriah gives a brief smile before he hides it an shakes his head. "Not quite yet, Harry."

Harry nods and turns back to the two outsiders.

"Pleased to meet you Mr. Potter, it's good to see you're in good health," Minerva comments.

"Pleased to meet you too, ma'am," Harry replies. "Perhaps you can tell me if I'll be allowed to come back once I go with you?"

"I'll have to speak with the Headmaster, but if you want, Hagrid can take you to Diagon Alley, and you can get your school supplies?" Minerva answered. She definitely had some things to share with the headmaster.

Harry starts to speak but Jevin cuts in before he can answer himself, "Harry will go get his school things, and we will all meet here when he returns."

Harry nods, along with Hagrid and Minerva, but before he turns to leave with the two strangers, he turns to Uriah. "Shall Pluto bless you, Uriah."

"Shall Pluto bless you, Harry," Uriah answered in return.

As Harry walked away with the two outsiders, Uriah and Jevin watched closely, Minerva took a moment to discreetly transfigure his tunic into more appropriate clothing for an outing in wizarding public, and the two centaurs couldn't help but smile sadly. They could see that the boy was uneasy, that he didn't really want to leave, but they also knew that he had to, and that he would be okay.

It was later in the day, and the sun had almost set, when Harry returned with Hagrid and Minerva. He wasn't carrying anything except for an owl cage which had a beautiful dark owl residing in it. Uriah and Jevin both suspected that Hagrid was carrying the rest of his things.

"So," Jevin spoke when they all reached each other. "Will he be allowed to return?"

Minerva kept her lips tight as she nodded. "You've kept him safe this long, you'll be able to keep him safe during the short months he's with you. If something is to happen though, we will have to reevaluate things."

"Agreeable," Jevin answered. "We will see that he gets to Hogwarts on the first, you must go now."

Hagrid quickly gave Harry the rest of his things, reminding him how to enlarge it, before setting off with Minerva.

Just before they were set to portkey, Harry called after them. "Deputy Headmistress, will I be able to have my bow with me?"

"I'll let you know," Minerva replied, and with one last nod, activated the portkey, and disappeared.

"Tell us of Diagon Alley, Harry," Uriah said, guiding his charge towards their hut to put his things away.

Jevin quietly followed and was happy to hear Harry was excited about going, he was even more so when he voiced his interest about the herd that lived in the Forbidden Forest.

That night Harry and Uriah went through all the books he bought, remarking that he would most definitely have a head start on history, potions, and astronomy. And with that in mind, Uriah told Harry that he would have the rest of the summer free from lessons, but with that free time he would have to spend it reading over the text from the subjects he knew next to nothing about, Transfiguration, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and herbology.

Uriah did relent though and told him he would be willing to ask Astra if she could help him get the basics of herbology down, or at least go over the text with him.

Harry agreed, thinking over the classes, before deciding that he was most excited about charms. Before he went to sleep that night he looked over to Uriah, a large smile on his face, "I don't have to take divination anymore!"

Uriah quietly laughed, assured that when Harry did go, he would be fine.

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**A/N: **Reviews welcome!


	2. To Hogwarts

A week before he was due in Hogwarts, Uriah and Harry set off. It had been decided that Harry wouldn't take the train, something that the centaurs were sure would get a rise out of the people in power, especially the school's Headmaster, Dumbledore. Instead, Harry would arrive on foot, joining his new school mates when they finally reached the Hogsmeade platform.

The journey had been exactly the thing Harry needed. His nerves were just about frayed before he and Uriah had set off, and now, with the first of September finally upon them, he knew he would be able to handle the new atmosphere, and everything that came with it. At least, he thought he'd be able to.

When he and Uriah had finally came to the spot that they would part ways, a short distance from the train platform, Harry said his goodbye with a heavy heart.

Uriah gave a nod of acknowledgement, his throat heavy with emotions, before he took of his bow and handed it to Harry. "You would have gotten this if you were able to stay, but I fear Mars' power will gain." He paused to look at his young charge, apparently finding what he needed to know, because he continued, "No one will be able to take it from you, and if you don't wish them to see it, the runes will keep it hidden. Remember your training young one, and don't forget to write to me."

Harry bowed his head, accepting the bow, before putting it on his back after taking his original one off. He handed it to the centaur who had been a father to him, and unsure of his words, stepped forward and threw his arms around the man. "Killian will see you soon," he whispered, speaking of his owl. "I won't leave a detail out."

Uriah smiled and gestured with his head towards the platform. "The train will be here soon. You have friends to make. Shall Pluto bless you, young one."

Harry once again said his goodbyes, and without another word, made his way to the platform, not daring to look back.

It wasn't long before the train stopped, and Harry watched from the shadows as the platform filled with happy boys and girls. It was easy to spot the children he would be having classes with, as they all looked nervous and excited at the same time. That, and they were all the same height as he was.

He didn't have to stick to the shadows for long though, as Hagrid had started calling for the first years to join him. Harry joined the small group and when he caught Hagrid's eye, he gave a nod of acknowledgement. He had to refrain from smiling at the flicker of shock that briefly filled the giants face before hiding. When it was apparent that all the first years were accounted for, Hagrid led them to the boats.

"No mor' than four to a boat, ya hear?" Hagrid's voice boomed, as he took one boat for himself.

Harry found himself sitting with two Indian girls and a dark boy who all were looking towards the castle with glee. Harry himself had seen the school earlier, when he was waiting for the train to arrive. When they had got done marveling the beauty of the castle, the dark skinned boy turned to him. "I didn't see you on the train," he commented.

Harry smiled, and took a moment to take note of these classmates, secretly judging their characters. They seemed like good people, with all the emotions he would expect to find in someone going to a new place for the first time. Finally he spoke, aware he had been silent for longer than normal, "I didn't see you on the train either."

The dark skinned boy's face broke into a smile, having fallen into a frown when Harry had taken so long to respond. "So what house do you think you'll get in?" he asked.

Harry shrugged. "I'm not worried about it."

The other boy nodded and turned back to the castle. Harry too, watched as it got bigger and bigger as they got closer, and when the boats finally stopped, he realized that the view from across the lake, even on the lake, could hardly do it justice when the real beauty was when you noticed it up close.

The first years all mindlessly followed Hagrid and then listened with only half a mind as the Deputy Headmistress gave them her own welcome. It was when McGonagall left to go check on things that they all came back to their minds.

A blond boy, with two gorilla type friends, started speaking, "So which one of you is Harry Potter? Or was the boy-who-lived too good to come?" The way the boy spoke and held himself made Harry aware that he didn't want anything to do with him. His character was based on a foundation of wealth that was less than becoming. "Well I guess he didn't show, probably got himself killed thinking he was invincible." A red headed boy scoffed, catching the blond's attention. "What, you don't think so?"

"Harry's probably already here, Dumbledore probably let him get sorted before us all," the red head said, and Harry felt his eyebrows recede to his hairline. Now this boy clearly had some jealousy issues. Harry watched the way he talked and held himself, clearly a kid who been pampered by his mother.

His attention was quickly pulled to the ghosts moving above them, and their conversation. Before he could really start judging them though, McGonagall returned and instructed them to follow her. Harry let himself fall in back of the progression, and when he finally entered the Great Hall, he was amazed just like all the other first years, over the ceiling. He almost hoped that more ceilings were like this one, but he truly doubted that outcome.

Up towards what could only be the teacher's table, McGonagall set a hat on a stool, and then Harry found himself surprised, and amazed, as it started singing. As the hat sang about each of the houses, Harry actually started to wonder which house he would be placed in. Ravenclaw, he knew he could do well in, but he was almost positive he wouldn't get put there. Hufflepuff, if there was a house built for centaurs, that might be it, but centaurs were only truly loyal to the stars. Gryffindor, for the brave, well Harry was certainly brave. But Slytherin, it called to him. A place for snakes. And for as long as he could remember, he could talk to snakes.

McGonagall started calling them forth by name, but he only really paid attention to faces. When the blond boy, Draco Malfoy, was called and put in Slytherin, Harry was not shocked in the least. Shortly after, when his name was called, he looked over to Draco and stifled a laugh at the look on his face. If Harry was put in Slytherin, the blond would definitely be eating his words.

With the hat over his head, and the rest of the Great Hall replaced with the inside of the hat, Harry wondered just how the hat knew how to sort them.

"Well, I see it in your mind of course," the hat said, and Harry felt himself nod.

"So where do I belong?" Harry asked the hat in his head.

"Your parents were placed in Gryffindor, but you, you wouldn't fit in there, would you? No, no, they're much too brash. Ah, I see, you knew that too," the hat said, and even before the hat shouted out his house, he already knew what table he'd be going to. "SLYTHERIN!"

Taking off the hat and handing it to the surprised McGonagall, Harry quietly made it to the only table that was clapping, and even that was scattered. Everyone else seemed to be in shock, even the teachers.

McGonagall soon found herself and called forward the next student, but Harry ignored it, and turned to look at his new house mates who were all staring at him. "Yes?" he asked.

"Shouldn't you be in Gryffindor?" an older student asked.

Harry studied the student for a minute before replying, "Should I? The hat seemed to think this was the place for me."

"But you got rid of the Dark Lord," another older student commented. Harry could tell by the way they spoke that their parents were followers.

Taking a moment to look at everyone at his table, he studied each and every one of them. And when Blaise Zabini took his seat, Harry studied him too. Over all, a lot of the kids in the Slytherin house, grew up hearing how great the Dark Lord was. A select few were actually a bit hard to read, and even fewer, Harry could tell, were not supporters.

Before he could speak though, the Headmaster stood up. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts," he spoke, his voice heavy. Harry studied him, and couldn't help be surprised when he caught the old man's eye. "Before we begin this wonderful feast, I would like to say a few words," he continued. Harry watched closely, almost positive that they would be wise words, but found himself disappointed. "Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"

Harry kept quiet throughout the meal, ignoring the looks he got, knowing he could address them later, and watched the Headmaster. He couldn't be sure unless he were to directly talk to the man, but he thought that the words the man chose were just to help an act, an act that most bought. But Harry wouldn't, the headmaster wasn't mad, he was in fact very in his mind, and one wrong foot out of line, that grandfather act would come down like an ax.

With dinner finally over, and a few interesting warnings, Harry followed the rest of his classmates towards the dungeons. It didn't take them long, and before he knew it, they were standing in front of a solid wall. The prefect, a tall boy that oozed house pride, turned around and addressed them.

"This is our entrance, to get in you need a password, tell the password to anyone not in our house, and you'll face a nasty surprise, understand?" Everyone nodded, and then watched as the password was given, and the stonewall receded to reveal a passage. Once they reached the common room, the prefect turned around again. "Alright, this is how it works in Slytherin, you don't get caught doing anything wrong, you don't let your fellow Slytherin get caught, and if you need help with homework, get it. Homework is to be done on time, and if you get us any points docked, you'll be serving detention with Snape, understand?" When everyone nodded, the older boy grinned. "Good. Now, dorms are shared, and you'll be sharing it with your roommate for the rest of your time here. You can have up to three people in one room, but no less than two. Girls and boys can't room together, and if caught, detention will be served with Snape, and believe me, if I haven't made it clear, you don't want detention with him. Other houses think he favors us, and while he never takes points from us, he does give us detention, and you won't like it. Any questions?"

"Can anyone other than your roommate enter your dorm?" Malfoy asked. Harry briefly wondered why he was asking, if he was hiding something, but he put a stop to that thought before it could go too far. The boy was merely curious.

"No, only you and your roommates can enter, along with our Head of house, who is Snape," the prefect replied.

"How do we choose roommates?" one of the girls asked, and she looked nervously over to the other girls.

The prefect had an evil grin rise to his face. "Glad you asked," he said, and he turned away walking towards one of the cupboards in the common room and pulled out two dark glass jars. Coming back to the first years he held each jar towards them. "Girls pick out of the left jar, boys out of the right. You'll grab whatever you want, and whoever has the match is your roommate. Ready?" Laughter filled the room as older Slytherins came over to watch. When no one came forward, the boy rolled his eyes. "I've got an idea, Potter, you first!"

Harry kept his expression neutral as he stepped forward and plunged his hand into the jar. He knew what was in it besides the objects they had to fish for, and of course it was snakes. They were all hissing that they tired of this game, some hissing to the others if they didn't move their tail, they'd be bitten. Harry finally found an object that wasn't a snake, and pulled it out. Meeting the prefects eyes, he decided to address the obvious dislike of him. "Unless I'm mistaken, none of you were in that room that night the Dark Lord tried to kill me. Your dislike of me, merely because no one has seen him since that night, is ridiculous. Now when you all write home tonight to your mum and dad, tell them, from me, to get over it. Besides, I thought Slytherin's didn't bow to anyone, or am I mistaken?" The silence that filled the room after that was enough to make Harry nod his head.

Ignoring everyone's stares Harry went and sat in a chair, waiting for them to continue with the roommate situation. A few girls squealed, and a few boys looked a bit green, but it didn't take too long for them to finish, and when they were, the prefect merely told them to go to the door that had the symbol that matched their object.

Finally looking at the object, he found himself staring at a small owl figurine. A small smile fitted to his face as he got up and went towards the hall where everyone else fled to. Finding the door with an owl on it, Harry held his breath, he just hoped that Malfoy wouldn't be his roommate. He wouldn't be able to stand that. So when he pushed open the door, he was glad to see a dark skinned boy.

"Oh, I get you," the boy remarked, looking up from his trunk.

"This is our room for the next seven years, no one but you and me are going to be in here, you don't have to pretend to be in to all that pure blood nonsense, or Dark Lord crap, okay?" Harry said, and he went to his own bed, smiling that it was next to the window. Noticing a small shelf just above the desk, Harry set the small owl on it. He turned and noticed the dark skinned boy was staring at him. "Yes?"

"Just where do you get off? Do you think you know everything? Is that it? Because for your information, I am a pureblood, and that 'Dark Lord crap'? Not something to joke about, get it?"

"Right, and I'm going to be Head Boy," Harry commented, going to his trunk and taking out his books. "Look, you might just be a pure blood, but I can tell that you don't buy into their propaganda, so stop trying to make me believe it."

"Propaganda?"

"Their ideas," Harry replied.

"How can you tell that I... How can you tell?" the boy asked.

Harry turned around and smiled. "What's your name?"

"Blaise Zabini," the boy answered.

"Well Blaise, for the last six years or so, I've been living with people who taught me how to judge a persons character, and your character is not one of a death eater," Harry answered. "Your smile is too tight when people are talking about blood status."

"Oh," Blaise replied. "Well then."

The two boys spent the next ten minutes quietly emptying their trunks and putting their clothes in their wardrobes, books on their shelves, and everything else from their trunks on the two tables next to the door. When they were done, they looked around, and smiled at each other. Both sides of the room looked almost identical, with the exception of the owl figurines. Blaise had chucked his.

"So, just how did you get rid of the Dark Lord?"

"Who's to say I did?" Harry commented, grinning at the terrified look that overcame the other boys face. "Honestly, I don't remember it, and if I did, I wouldn't share what happened considering both my parents died that night."

"Oh yeah, sorry," Blaise said, settling down on his bed. "So who have you lived with? No one had gotten wind of you since before tonight."

Harry was about to answer when their door opened, and their head of house came in. For a minute the man was silent, he looked around the room, and then made eye contact with the two boys, "All the rules were explained to you right? You lose a point and you have detention, you don't get caught or let your fellow classmates get caught, and your homework is to be one in a timely manner?" When the two boys nodded, Snape nodded as well. "Good, now you better have studied this summer, and if you didn't," here he took a moment to look at Harry, "you better crack open those books once I leave."

"Actually Sir," Harry spoke, "I have a question about potions."

"Of course you do," Snape said, before coming into the room and shutting the door completely. "What is it?"

"Well growing up I learned how to collect the different ingredients, so I know what they are and how to care for them, but the way they're stored in our kits concerned me. The apothecary attendant put certain ingredients that have negative affects when in contact with other certain ingredients next to each other, and I just wondered if they will still be useable, where they've been in close contact with negative effecting agents?"

Snape took a moment to stare at the young boy in front of him, as if he were studying him, before he answered. "The apothecary has been preparing the Hogwarts potion kits for a long time now, and there have been no negative effects as of yet, but it is a good observation. I assume you've resorted the kit in a manner you deem appropriate?"

Harry snapped himself from his thoughts, and nodded. As Snape studied him, he had studied Snape. He could tell that the man had many regrets, and that he didn't care what people thought of him, but he could also see that he seemed to be pressing his lips together too tightly, as if he wanted to yell at him, but he wanted to see what he was made of first. "I did, you can look at it if you have the time."

Snape shortly nodded, and watched as the young boy went to his desk and took the kit from it before presenting it to him. He did it all carefully, as if he didn't want to jostle the ingredients, and Snape swallowed the smile that was trying to fight it's way to his face. He would not smile at a Potter. Looking carefully at how he prepared his potions kit, Snape was surprised. It looked like an adult had arranged everything, but before he let himself rip into the boy for trying to gain favor and taking credit of someone else's work, he watched the boy closely. He really did seem concerned about his potion ingredients.

"Tell me Potter, how much did you learn of Potions when you lived with the centaurs?"

"You lived with centaurs?!" Blaise all but shouted in surprise and shock. "Are they nuts? Did they make you sleep on the ground? Did they steal you? Why did you live with them?"

Before Blaise could continue his questions, Snape cut across him. "Mr. Zabini! As this is your first night, I won't be giving you detention, but a little more tact is required. Now, Mr. Potter, if you could answer my question."

Harry nodded, turning away from his roommate. "Well, I looked through the text and with the exception of a few potions, I think I could brew them all quite well. My teacher taught me potions from the age of, I think I was six, until I had to get ready to come here, but it was mostly healing potions that would be useful to the herd. Like, the Cure of Boils potion, that wasn't needed, so I've never brewed it before, but I don't think I'll have any trouble with it," he explained.

Snape nodded. "Tomorrow is Tuesday, so you won't have a potions class, but come to me after dinner and we will see where you are at. And Mr. Zabini, if you were inclined, you might want to rearrange your potions kit so it looks something like this," Snape said, gesturing towards Harry's kit. "Tomorrow Mr. Potter."

As soon as Snape left the room, Harry turned to Blaise and sent him a glare. "Mars is hovering Zabini," he said, and Blaise cocked his head to the side.

"Sorry Harry, I don't speak centaur," Blaise said. "But really, you lived with centaurs?"

Harry slowly nodded. He knew that eventually people would learn just where he had been, but he had hoped some more time could have passed.

"Well, why? Why not wizards? Is it because of the Dark Lord?" Blaise asked carefully.

"I just did Blaise, please don't make a big deal of it," Harry said.

"Okay, I won't, but what else did you learn? I thought centaurs were dangerous?"

"And why did you think that?" Harry questioned.

"Well, the ministry says, right?"

Harry rolled his eyes and put his potions kit back on his desk. "The ministry says a lot of things Blaise."

Blaise was quiet for a little while, and Harry got himself settled in his bed. The lights magically dimmed to match the light coming in from the window, it was almost pitch black in the room.

"Hey Harry," Blaise whispered.

"What Blaise?"

"Sorry for being so tactless," he answered.

"Okay, just don't spread it around, alright?"

"Alright," Blaise agreed.

It didn't take long before both boys were asleep.

Upstairs a meeting was taking place in the Headmaster's office. All four head's of house were there, along with a few other teachers that taught the first years. "Thank you all for coming," Dumbledore said, "I asked you all to come here so we could discuss one of the new students. I'm sure you all noticed Harry Potter?" Everyone nodded, and Dumbledore continued. "I would like you all to keep an eye on him this year. Severus, you are his head of house, I assume you went and checked that everyone was settled in?"

"I did," Snape said. "I had a short conversation with the boy. I don't think we're going to have a problem with him this year. He only has one roommate, and when I checked on them they had everything organized. He even asked me a question about his potions kit, I have a meeting with him tomorrow evening on the subject."

"Do you now? So he is knowledgeable?" Dumbledore questioned.

Snape nodded. "I don't have a clue as to how far that knowledge goes, but I would assume he has been well taught."

"Good, good. How about we meet again next week to discuss this matter some more?"

"Headmaster, just what are we looking for in the boy? I assume he's just another student?" the Astronomy professor, Aurora Sinistra questioned.

Dumbledore smiled, "Nothing in particular, I just want to see how well adjusted the boy is, he did after all defeat Voldemort." Most of the teaches all gasped at the name, Snape being the only one to seem unaffected. "Now, why don't we all head to bed, tomorrow we have heads to fill!"

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**A/N: **So Snape might seem a bit out of character, but this is fanfiction, and if you wanted a cut throat Snape, there are millions of other fics on here. Now with that out of the way, any thoughts? What do you think about Harry being in Slytherin and his little impromptu speech? Let me know in a review!


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